An article was published today by the Los Angeles Times regarding the frightening degree of power Tom Delay and his Corporatocratic friends have over our legislative process. I recommend everyone read this article. The link is:http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/delayhelpedcementgopt... ;_ylt=AlW4Y829rHqj9Cw8tN93jFdg.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

Many Republican voters are like sheep. They vote on what they are told they should vote for, like banning gay marriage. They have little understanding of what a minuscule difference this has on their lives. And they have little understanding of what a huge difference Republican "reverse Robin Hood" policies have on them.

They're also lead to believe the lunacy that increased business profits increase hiring. In reality, increased demand for workers is what increases hiring, not the ability to pay for more workers. No business EVER hired workers simply because they could afford to hire them. They hire them ONLY when they need them to increase production. And they only need to increase production when consumer DEMAND for production increases. That demand increases when consumer income and spending increases. That spending-induced demand increase only occurs when consumers have more money to spend, which results from increased consumer income.

Ultimately it is increased consumer income that increases hiring, because it increases consumer demand for production, and the demand for workers to provide that production.

Prices do NOT decline because production costs are reduced. Which means that labor cost reductions (wage reductions) do NOT lower prices. They simply increase business profits.

Prices decline ONLY when consumers are unwilling to pay the current price. Then prices MUST decline if businesses are going to sell their products.

Republican sheep fail to understand these concepts. As a result, they frequently vote against their own best interests. Instead, they vote on simpler, often meaningless ideas like "staying the course." Or they vote on things that have no real significance to their day-to-day existence like gay marriage. Republican Corporatists, by supporting these simplistic issues, manage to get bigger (and less understood) legislation passed and favorable candidates elected.

Someone needs to enlighten Republican voters as to how they are voting against their own best interests. Until they become enlightened, they'll continue to be exploited by the Republican Corporatocrats who run this country at present. And they'll continue to vote for Republican Corporatocrats.

unlawflcombatntEconomicPopulistCommentary___________The economy needs balance between the "means of production" & "means of consumption."

They have built runways and wooden control towers and burn fires at night hoping that some Cronyism Corruption will rub off on them to make them wealthy. So they continue to vote against their own best interests (living wage, affordable health care, etc.)

The Republican sheep simply don't want to take the trouble to think about what they are voting for or why. It's easier to focus on simple "non-message" messages such as "stay the course" and "we've gotta be strong." Neither have any meaning whatsoever, but they sound good to many. And that's something that helps the Republican Corporatocrats' cause. The other is fixing elections. Ignorance and dishonest can be tough to beat.

Indicting DeLay may be the start of something good. It may get some of the Republican sheep to start thinking. Which is exactly what the Republicans don't want.

unlawflcombatntEconomicPopulistCommentary___________The economy needs balance between the "means of production" & "means of consumption."

But it's a case of being careful what you wish for because you might just get it. The GOP has been all about loyalty and discipline, but those are the same attributes that have allowed the rot to set in. Their economics stink: they've turned our democracy into a "corporatocracy." Will the sheep wake up in time to save this country? You nailed it unlawflcombatnt. It's as if the rightwing cult needs to be de-programmed.

This may turn out to be the best thing that's happened to the Democrats since the election. The Republicans may start voting individually, instead of as a unit like they do know. We definitely would have defeated CAFTA if we could have had just a little less unity in the Republican Party (or maybe a little more unity in the Democratic Party.)

Maybe we can get the tax cuts on the top 2% rolled back, without DeLay there to force Republicans to vote in unison. With Bush's popularity sinking, and Frist under investigation, the Democrats may be able to make some inroads on the Republican corporatocracy.

unlawflcombatntEconomicPopulistCommentary___________The economy needs balance between the "means of production" & "means of consumption."

I think David Sirota has the right idea. We need to start grass roots efforts all over the country and inform middle class and working class Americans how the Bush Corporatocracy is working against their best interests.

We need to convince voters how Bush's policies are lowering their quality of life, and how much more of a difference this really makes than any legislation or positions relating to religion or "values."

Democrats and progressives are not trying to take away anyone's freedom of religion, nor are we working against those of faith. In fact, we are FOR the freedom to practice one's faith and religion in any way one pleases.

Progressive positions are not anti-religion or anti-"values." These are ideas that are determined by individuals and their families, not by the government. Honesty and integrity are the "values" in government that voters should be concerned about. And these "values" are extremely lacking in the current administration. The "ends justify the means" philosophy is not acceptable. The current administration shares this philosophy with 2 other infamous political systems--the Communist Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.

In contrast to the government's limited role on religion and values, the economic well-being of individuals and families is GREATLY affected by government policy. Shifting the tax burden off the affluent to the less affluent greatly affects families and individuals. It affects them directly and immediately by reducing their current spending power. It affects them over the long run by reducing wages and jobs, by reducing the consumer spending necessary to create those jobs.

It is Republican economic policies that truly affect most Americans. And those policies are bad for 98% of Americans at present, and bad for 100% of us over the long run. These are issues that should be brought to the forefront of the political dialog.

unlawflcombatntEconomicPopulistCommentary___________The economy needs balance between the "means of production" & "means of consumption."

8. Best "nutshell" of the current problems with the Democrats' message.

This is an excellent thread. I wonder what it takes to get people interested in economic issues. As you say, the economy is far more closely tied to the quality of our daily lives than the republican version of "values" issues, like who sleeps with whom. Church and state are no longer separated; they are in the same bed. As far as I'm concerned, that's where the real trouble is created between the sheets.

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